Olivia fell asleep once her head hit the pillow. And she slept a dreamless slumber too, didn't wake up once, which was unusual for her. She normally tossed and turned, too many years of seeing all the inhumane people that inhabated this mortal coil. But, that night, it seemed like she was walking on air, or sleeping on it, rather. She wasn't exactly sure why.
She was surprised when she woke up to the telephone at 11:23 the next morning. She looked at the phone, baffled, for a few moments before the ringing registered in her head. She picked the phone up, "Benson." She yawned.
"Did I wake you?" A voice she recognized as Maureen's said.
"Yeah, but don't worry. It was about time I woke up anyway."
"Long night?"
"I guess so. I went out with your father and brother and sisters."
"Kathleen told me. That's why I was calling."
"Oh?"
"Kathleen seems to think you and my father are, for a lack of better words, a couple. Now, she's told me my father denies this, but she said she doesn't believe him. I wanted to get your input on this."
Olivia laughed outright. "Your father and I are not dating, Maureen. He and your mother just got a divorce!"
"Yeah, but they've been separated for months. Now, I knew that there was nothing going on, daddy would have said something if that was the case. But, she's very adamant about the two of you dating."
"Your father and I are just friends, best friends. Nothing more."
"Alright. But, is that all you want?"
"Maureen!"
"What? It's an innocent enough question."
"I'm not going to answer that."
"Ha! That means you do want more!"
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
"You wouldn't answer the question, therefore, you're too embarrassed to answer. That means, you do. Wish the was something more, I mean. Don't deny it. I'm smarter than that."
"I am not going to have this conversation with you."
"Why not?"
"Because!"
"Oh, right. I'm his daughter. Of course, how narcissistic of me."
"Exactly how is that narcissistic of you?"
"Well, I have to know everything for myself. Because, by knowing you want more between my father and you it wouldn't be to his benefit, not in this case, at least. I mean, I wouldn't go a tell him that, I want to know for myself. Ergo, narcissistic."
"When did you learn that word anyhow?"
"Not sure. Maybe from my dad. Ah, oh well. Look, Olivia, I'm not going to tell my dad--"
"Tell your dad what?"
"That you think of him in that way--"
"I never said that!"
"Sure, whatever. That doesn't mean you don't--"
Olivia let out a frustrated sigh.
"I mean, it's not my place to tell him. You should. Really. Tell him."
"Maureen!"
"Hey, I've got to go. Bye, Olivia." She hung up before Olivia could say anything else.
"I did not say that!" Olivia yelled into the empty line before slamming down the phone.
~**~**~**~
Elliot's phone rang just a little after 11:30, he grabbed the channel changer and clicked it on 'mute' then picked up the cordless phone. "Stabler."
"Daddy. It's me." Maureen said from the other end.
"Hey, this is a nice surprise. To what do I owe this honor?"
"Stop kidding, daddy. I just wanted to talk with you."
"Your sister called you."
"Which one?"
"Kathleen."
"You are correct."
"And, what did this sister say?"
"She told me that you and Olivia are dating, although I don't believe that. But, I wanted to run it by you, hear your reaction."
"Uh-huh. Continue."
"So, are you going to prove me right and tell me that you're not dating Olivia, or, are you going to tell me that Kathleen's suspicions are correct."
"I'm not dating Olivia."
"Why not?"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard the question the first time, daddy. Why not?"
"Why am I not dating Olivia? Hmm, that's a tough question, Maureen. Your mother and I did just get a divorce, dating isn't really something on my mind at the moment--"
"Bullshit."
"What?"
"I call your bluff, daddy. Like in the card game, bullshit. Your lying."
"How long have you been using this sort of language?"
"Daddy, I'm in college. I think it's about time you let me grow up, don't you?"
"Alright, so you want to know why Olivia and I aren't dating? I've never really considered that, Maureen. Up until 2 months ago I was fully devoted to your mother, I'd never even consider cheating on your mother, even if it was with Olivia. And, for the past few months I've been really focused on the divorce. I guess it just never occurred to me."
"But, if the opportunity presented itself to you?"
"Just what exactly have you and your sister been talking about?"
"Just answer the question. Would you date her?"
He sighed, "I don't know, Maureen. I've never thought of it. I guess, it's safe to say that I won't know until the time comes, maybe not even then. Why are you so concerned with this anyway? Shouldn't you be studying or something?"
"Oh, daddy. I'm worried about you."
"Your mother and I have barley been divorced a day."
"But, you've been separated for over 2 months! Mom's got her a new boyfriend--"
"Your mother already had a boyfriend, that was the problem."
"Daddy, you know what I mean. Move on."
"I have! But, I'm not sure I need to be dating at the moment, I'm still getting my bearings straight. You know, getting use to single life again. I'm telling you, the last thing on my mind at this moment is a girlfriend. No matter who the person is."
"But, if a girlfriend was on your mind…"
"Maureen! I don't have to answer that question."
"Ah, I'm being narcissistic again."
"Again?"
"Long story."
"I'd like to hear about it."
"Ah, but I can't tell you. Sorry. You'll just have to ponder it."
"Same as you. You'll have to ponder the answers to your various questions. Goodbye, Maureen."
"Oh, fine then. Goodbye, daddy."
~**~**~**~
a/n: oh, I loved making this chapter. I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it! Review please!
She was surprised when she woke up to the telephone at 11:23 the next morning. She looked at the phone, baffled, for a few moments before the ringing registered in her head. She picked the phone up, "Benson." She yawned.
"Did I wake you?" A voice she recognized as Maureen's said.
"Yeah, but don't worry. It was about time I woke up anyway."
"Long night?"
"I guess so. I went out with your father and brother and sisters."
"Kathleen told me. That's why I was calling."
"Oh?"
"Kathleen seems to think you and my father are, for a lack of better words, a couple. Now, she's told me my father denies this, but she said she doesn't believe him. I wanted to get your input on this."
Olivia laughed outright. "Your father and I are not dating, Maureen. He and your mother just got a divorce!"
"Yeah, but they've been separated for months. Now, I knew that there was nothing going on, daddy would have said something if that was the case. But, she's very adamant about the two of you dating."
"Your father and I are just friends, best friends. Nothing more."
"Alright. But, is that all you want?"
"Maureen!"
"What? It's an innocent enough question."
"I'm not going to answer that."
"Ha! That means you do want more!"
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
"You wouldn't answer the question, therefore, you're too embarrassed to answer. That means, you do. Wish the was something more, I mean. Don't deny it. I'm smarter than that."
"I am not going to have this conversation with you."
"Why not?"
"Because!"
"Oh, right. I'm his daughter. Of course, how narcissistic of me."
"Exactly how is that narcissistic of you?"
"Well, I have to know everything for myself. Because, by knowing you want more between my father and you it wouldn't be to his benefit, not in this case, at least. I mean, I wouldn't go a tell him that, I want to know for myself. Ergo, narcissistic."
"When did you learn that word anyhow?"
"Not sure. Maybe from my dad. Ah, oh well. Look, Olivia, I'm not going to tell my dad--"
"Tell your dad what?"
"That you think of him in that way--"
"I never said that!"
"Sure, whatever. That doesn't mean you don't--"
Olivia let out a frustrated sigh.
"I mean, it's not my place to tell him. You should. Really. Tell him."
"Maureen!"
"Hey, I've got to go. Bye, Olivia." She hung up before Olivia could say anything else.
"I did not say that!" Olivia yelled into the empty line before slamming down the phone.
~**~**~**~
Elliot's phone rang just a little after 11:30, he grabbed the channel changer and clicked it on 'mute' then picked up the cordless phone. "Stabler."
"Daddy. It's me." Maureen said from the other end.
"Hey, this is a nice surprise. To what do I owe this honor?"
"Stop kidding, daddy. I just wanted to talk with you."
"Your sister called you."
"Which one?"
"Kathleen."
"You are correct."
"And, what did this sister say?"
"She told me that you and Olivia are dating, although I don't believe that. But, I wanted to run it by you, hear your reaction."
"Uh-huh. Continue."
"So, are you going to prove me right and tell me that you're not dating Olivia, or, are you going to tell me that Kathleen's suspicions are correct."
"I'm not dating Olivia."
"Why not?"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard the question the first time, daddy. Why not?"
"Why am I not dating Olivia? Hmm, that's a tough question, Maureen. Your mother and I did just get a divorce, dating isn't really something on my mind at the moment--"
"Bullshit."
"What?"
"I call your bluff, daddy. Like in the card game, bullshit. Your lying."
"How long have you been using this sort of language?"
"Daddy, I'm in college. I think it's about time you let me grow up, don't you?"
"Alright, so you want to know why Olivia and I aren't dating? I've never really considered that, Maureen. Up until 2 months ago I was fully devoted to your mother, I'd never even consider cheating on your mother, even if it was with Olivia. And, for the past few months I've been really focused on the divorce. I guess it just never occurred to me."
"But, if the opportunity presented itself to you?"
"Just what exactly have you and your sister been talking about?"
"Just answer the question. Would you date her?"
He sighed, "I don't know, Maureen. I've never thought of it. I guess, it's safe to say that I won't know until the time comes, maybe not even then. Why are you so concerned with this anyway? Shouldn't you be studying or something?"
"Oh, daddy. I'm worried about you."
"Your mother and I have barley been divorced a day."
"But, you've been separated for over 2 months! Mom's got her a new boyfriend--"
"Your mother already had a boyfriend, that was the problem."
"Daddy, you know what I mean. Move on."
"I have! But, I'm not sure I need to be dating at the moment, I'm still getting my bearings straight. You know, getting use to single life again. I'm telling you, the last thing on my mind at this moment is a girlfriend. No matter who the person is."
"But, if a girlfriend was on your mind…"
"Maureen! I don't have to answer that question."
"Ah, I'm being narcissistic again."
"Again?"
"Long story."
"I'd like to hear about it."
"Ah, but I can't tell you. Sorry. You'll just have to ponder it."
"Same as you. You'll have to ponder the answers to your various questions. Goodbye, Maureen."
"Oh, fine then. Goodbye, daddy."
~**~**~**~
a/n: oh, I loved making this chapter. I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it! Review please!